CLINTON 
It took several years, but the World War I monument was officially christened at a Veterans Day ceremony Monday, with all the pomp and circumstances befitting a memorial to the 923 soldiers from Clinton who fought in that war.

The 10-by-6-foot monument was purchased by the James R. Kirby Post 50, in Clinton, but got caught up in a series of discussions as to where the best place would be for it. After locations around Clinton Town Hall and Central Park were rejected, it found a home in Hamilton Square, named for Perley R. Hamilton, of Clinton, who died on July 28, 1917, while driving an ambulance in a French town. He was he first casualty from Clinton. Hamilton went before U.S. soldiers were officially sent, just to try to help

“It is long overdue and is our way or saying ‘thank you, you have not been forgotten,’ ” said Post Chaplin Rev. Edward Barrus Jr. in his opening prayer.

State Sen. Jennifer Flanagan said Clinton has a long history of remembering its veterans.

“I hope each and every one of you will bring you children to this park and talk to them about those who sacrificed, who have not returned, and also those currently serving in the military,” Flanagan said.

John T. Mahan, the post’s finance and service officer, said it was an honor for him to see so many names on the memorial, including his own father, who was wounded in France during World War I.

“It is an honor for me to be up here. I am so grateful the memorial has been erected,” Mahan said.

Congressman James McGovern noted that this was his last public appearance as a representative of Clinton; the town was given to U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas in the recent redistricting.

“If you were standing where I am standing and looking out (at the crowd in Hamilton Square), it is probably one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. It is a tribute to your community,” McGovern said, adding that it has been an “unbelievable pleasure for me to represent Clinton. I have loved every minute …I will always love this community.”

Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray quoted his favorite president, Harry Truman, who was in the Missouri National Guard and was a captain in the artillery unit of World War II.

“He said the only thing new in this world is history you don’t know,” Murray said. “The one thing he understood, and the people of Clinton understand, is you do not forget.”

State Rep. Harold Naughton Jr., in his Army uniform, called it a “great day to be in Clinton.” He noted that, after recently serving in Afghanistan and Kuwait, it only took him five days to get home. He and other soldiers could call home daily.

“When these soldiers (from World War I) went oversees, there was no communications. For these follows, it took weeks and months to get back,” Naughton said. “These doughboys would go overseas, expecting adventure. They didn’t have TV or the History Channel. They expected to be home for Christmas …A World War I soldier would not see his family for a year or two.”

Naughton said a wise man once said, “The more you sweat for peace, the less you bleed in war.”

“Hopefully in years to come, we will not be building monuments for those who went to war, but to those like Perley Hamilton, who went off to serve the world,” Naughton said.